Releasing and Creating

This week as our awareness of our senses increases we move into releasing old thought patterns, habits and behaviors and begin creating new thought patterns, habits and behaviors.

 However…important to this process is Dr Phil’s famous quote…

 “We can’t change what we don’t acknowledge”

 We have to be aware that something exists in order to take action to change it

What exists in your life?

• Unhealthy thoughts and beliefs?
• Unhealthy emotions and ways of dealing with them?
• Judgements?
• Complaining?
• Unhealthy words spoken to yourself or others?
• Unhealthy behaviors, patterns and habits?
• Unhealthy food choices
• Blaming?
• Assuming?
• Taking everything personally?
• Needing approval?

Acknowledging & Action

 As we bring awareness to our thoughts, we start to acknowledge the thoughts we are having that do not serve us. When we can fully acknowledge them and become conscious of the impact they have on our lives AND the choices we make, we can empower ourselves to take action to change them.

This is all about creating balance in every aspect of our lives.

Where do we begin?

Begin by sitting with some (often hard to answer) questions.

“Sitting with” means; sit quietly in contemplation until you can honestly answer these questions.

• Find a comfortable space to settle into
• Sit in stillness and surround yourself in silence
• Place your hand onto your heart,
• Focus on your breath – long, slow inhalations (through the nose) fully expanding your belly and then an equally slow exhalation, releasing the breath completely from your belly. After a few minutes, let your breath settle to an effortless, centered pace.
• Sit in silence and listen. At first you will listen to just the silence then…
• From your heart space listen inward for the answers to these following questions.
• Once you have found some clarity and honest (vulnerable) answers to any of these questions, write them down into a journal or a piece of paper

Here are the questions;

1. What isn’t working in my life? What needs to change in my life? What area or areas of my life need my attention, awareness and acknowledgement the most?
2. What do I need to either release OR create to bring some balance into these areas of my life? (Think of habits, thoughts & beliefs that you need to release & let go of or re-create a new thought, habit or belief around) OR think in terms of anything you have accumulated in your body or environment that you no longer need or would like to replace with healthier choices.
3. What am I wanting AND willing to change in my life right now

You need to want to change it – otherwise acknowledging the problems in your life will be from a defensive, judgmental, limiting, powerless place where you most likely will blame the circumstances and people around you for your inability to make any changes or take any action. (Brutal but true)

Notice your reaction to the above questions. If you have the tendency to say “Yeah, but…” (Fill that in with whatever excuse you need to argue for your limitations here) Then you are not ready to acknowledge your thoughts, habits, behaviors or emotions and if you are not ready to acknowledge them – you cannot change what you don’t acknowledge.

Unfortunately, this is where many people find themselves in different areas and times of their life – myself included. Unconsciously we fall into a state of victimization where we feel helpless to make changes. Without awareness and acknowledgement we can easily feel like a victim to our circumstances.

It is empowering though when we acknowledge the gift of awareness and choice of our thoughts, because now we are in the driver’s seat. When we consciously practice acknowledging what we are thinking, believing and doing we can choose a different thought!

We can choose a different belief

We can choose a different action

We can choose to create something better

We can choose to create a better future – one choice at a time

By consciously acknowledging our negative thoughts and emotions and observing them move through us – we have the power at any given moment to change the thought and to choose an actions that supports the thought we would prefer to have.  When we are unconscious of our negative thoughts though we can easily get swept away and absorbed into the storyline of our thoughts, which then leads into a momentum of emotions and sensations that affect the choices we make.

Over-time we can learn to understand the thoughts and why they re-occur. Without acknowledging them first though – understanding them will be next to impossible because we excuse, defend, blame and assume them away – which keeps us stuck.

Acknowledging our thoughts and beliefs is a great stepping stone to increasing our personal power. It takes time, patience and awareness but it is so worth the process.

It is so empowering to know that we don’t have to remain angry. We don’t have to stay sad, we don’t have to think these negative thoughts and we can make better choices!

Awareness & acknowledgement opens our mind and our hearts. Awareness opens the door for more compassion. Awareness reminds us of our own vulnerabilities, insecurities and humanness and allows us to be so much more compassionate, accepting and loving towards others.

Once our hearts are open, we then embrace an understanding of ourselves. Once we understand from this heart space we drop the judgements, we release the blame, we let go of our defensiveness and we no longer assume the worst or take anything personally.

From this heart-centered space we take action

And if you are not sure how to align with this heart-space yet – we still have a choice to take positive action.

This week, everyday commit to creating some sort of action that moves you towards balance in your life

Do you need more sleep? Less Sleep?

Do you need more structure and routine? Or do you need more spontaneity and creativity?

Do you need to eat more fruits and vegetables? And eat less sugary, salty foods?

Do you need to move more? Do you need to play more?

Do you need to communicate better with a loved one?

Do you need to stop judging other and start accepting?

Let’s take action this week towards better choices for ourselves. When we consciously take better care of ourselves, when we make better choices minute by minute and day by day, our whole mindset shifts and with our awareness on acknowledging our thoughts, we can release our old thought patterns, habits and behaviors and begin creating new thought patterns, habits and behaviors.

We can make some powerful shifts and changes in our lives!

You are the only ones who can do it

 It is time to become more powerful – this is authentic power

This Week’s Intention Setting

1. “Today, I am aware of my thoughts and I acknowledge my reaction to them”
2. “Today I observe my thoughts without getting attached to them or swept away in the storyline of them”
3. “Today, I have the power to choose a different thought/belief”
4. “Today. I choose…(trust, optimism, self-love, compassion)”
5. “Today, I choose to take action to bring balance into my life” Then ask…(and write down your answer)
6. “What action will I choose to take into my day to bring more balance into my life”

This week is the start of acknowledging our negative thoughts and limiting beliefs. We can free ourselves from this self-suffering. We can free ourselves with awareness, acknowledgement and taking action towards balance! As always this is not an easy process so be gentle and compassionate with yourself.

If you are interested in any private coaching sessions; Contact Leslie at 780 722-3442 or email at leslie@wellnessdefined.ca

Private Ayurveda sessions also available.

Let’s tap this in…